Monument record 0177201000 - Site of Civil War earthworks, SOUTH OF AKEMAN STREET

Plan Form - RECTANGULAR
CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY OF SIR JOHN DIGBY SEEMS TO CONFIRM THE LIKELIHOOD OF A CIVIL WAR DATE FOR THE EARTHWORK. IT GIVES A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF HIS PURSUIT OF 60 PARLIAMENTARY HORSEMEN FROM AYLESBURY AND MAKES A PASSING REFERENCE TO THE DEFENCES AT HOLMAN'S BRIDGE (BIOGRAPHY EXTRACT, FILED)(B2).

Civil War defences of post medieval date are visible on historic aerial photographs as earthworks and were mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located south of Bicester Road (Akeman Street) and Rabans Lane, Aylesbury, and centred at SP 80025 14600. Earthworks of a subrectangular, double ditched enclosure aligned north east to south west and measuring approximately 104x86m across at its largest is visible on aerial photographs from 1943 and 1947. A central platform measuring 51x50m is surrounded on three sides by a double ditch and bank. The banks are inside the ditches and measure between 2.5-5m across and the ditches are approximately 4-6m across. The northern corner, closest to the road and to Aylesbury, has only a single ditch and there is a gap through the bank at this point too. By 1950 the earthworks have been obscured by expansion of the industrial activities to the west of the factories on the south side of Bicester Road and by 1971 the northern part of the site has been redeveloped for housing. Further industrial buildings have been constructed on the southern part by 1978 and more by 1994 completely covering the site. (3-10)